


Snakes in the Grass

by Netgirl_y2k



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-02-16 07:54:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2261856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Netgirl_y2k/pseuds/Netgirl_y2k
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arianne says farewell to the Sand Snakes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snakes in the Grass

The balcony doors were flung open to let in the sweet smelling air of the Water Gardens; after their confinement in the Spear Tower Arianne and her cousins had all lost their taste for closed rooms.

It was their last night together before they would disperse to their separate tasks, and Obara’s quest to High Hermitage was sitting ill with her.

Arianne’s eldest cousin was standing against the balcony wall, looking as she often did: tall, and strong, and scowling fiercely. Arianne had long since learnt not to take Obara’s scowls personally.

"I should be going with you," she told Arianne, who was lounging on the bed with her head in Tyene’s lap, her sweet cousin stroking her hair. "You should not journey to the Stormlands undefended."

"I will not be undefended, Obara," replied Arianne. "My father is sending Ser Daemon Sand along as my sworn shield."

Ser Daemon’s name disappeared under Obara’s snort of disdain. Arianne went to her; Tyene’s fingers tugged at her hair as she rose.

The princess slid to her knees in front of Obara; she took her cousin’s hands and kissed her scarred knuckles, then her calloused fingers.

"It is true that I would sooner have you by my side. But Ser Daemon cannot rid us of Darkstar and Ser Balon Swann both. My father needs you to do this; _I_ need you to do this.”

Obara grumbled, but nodded her assent and gently drew Arianne to her feet. Arianne pressed a kiss to her cheek and said, “Thank you. When I was a child I promised that you would be my sworn shield when Sunspear came to me, and that’s a promise I mean to keep; there is no one whose love and protection I would wish for more.”

Lady Nym had been bathing in the pools, and she was brushing out her long, beautiful dark hair in front of the looking glass. She had a sheer robe draped over her naked shoulders. “Our sweet Arianne is quite the flatterer,” she said.

Tyene drew Arianne back down onto her lap. “Flattery does get her everywhere.”

Nym raised an eyebrow in the looking glass. “It gets her everywhere with _you_.”

"Jealous?" Tyene asked with a sweet smile.

"Three words, little sister: The. Fowler. Twins.”

Arianne rolled her eyes; she was used to being a piece in this game of sibling one-upmanship. I can kill a man with a throwing dagger from thirty feet away. I can poison a man from thirty leagues away. I have twins. I have a _princess_. For all of Obara's ill-temper, at least she rarely joined in with these games. 

"Let’s not quarrel," said Arianne, "it may be a long time before we are all together again. Nym, are you prepared for King’s Landing? These northerners do not seem to have much regard for women, or for bastards; they will not have seen the like of you before."

"Then I shall be a viper among grass-snakes," Nym’s eyes slid lovingly over the numerous hidden daggers that she’d removed while she bathed, and had laid out along the dressing table in order of length. "They will not see me coming."

"Nor me," said Tyene, throwing herself backward onto the bed in a swoon. "No one looks twice at a septa; pure and chaste as we are." She reached for Arianne, and the princess let herself be tugged down atop her cousin.

"Yes," said Obara gruffly; Tyene was tugging Arianne’s silks from her shoulders and mouthing at her throat. "You look dreadfully chaste."

Nym stood, turned, and belted her sheer robe; she carefully gathered up her daggers. “Come, sister,” she said to Obara, “I fear we have outstayed our welcome.”

"Don’t leave in the morning before you’ve seen me," Arianne called after them. "I’ll want to say a fond farewell."

"Say a fonder farewell to Tyene first," Nym called back with a laugh in her voice.

The blonde sand snake suddenly rolled them over and straddled Arianne’s hips. Oh, King's Landing did not stand a chance! The princess would miss her sweet smiles, soft curves, and viper’s eyes. She took Nym’s advice and set about saying goodbye in a way that ensured her cousin would not forget her during her long nights on Visenya’s Hill.


End file.
